The Price For Reality
by o K i t s u n E o
Summary: People live their lives bound by what they accept as correct and true. That's how they define "Reality". However, what is the real truth? Itachi will soon discover that, his reality comes with a price. A price which he cannot pay alone. IYNaruto ItaKag
1. Chapter 1 : Song of Parting

Chapter I

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Naruto, the song and the reference to xxxHolic. Also, I do not make any money from these writings.

Author's Note: The english is not direct translation of the song. It's the english version of it.

* * *

"Chichi wa iwareta..."

_Father once said to me... _

A sound.

Instinctively, his black eyes snapped open.

A bad decision, for as soon as he did that, his head throbbed. It was not painful, but it annoyed him to have his vision blurring to adjust to the surroundings. He willed his hands to move, but they would not listen. The throbbing intensified, and he closed his eyes in reflex.

"Ayakashi no te wa..."

_Many moons ago... _

Again there was the sound... the voice. As the throbbing started to cease, he slowly lifted his eyelids. The fog dissipated and he could see the black material that was right above him, spreading its semi-transparent black mosquito net around his bed.

"Mamori no te..."

_Demon hands will defend... _

The soft, gentle voice was getting louder, and his trained ears were starting to hear footsteps.

Someone was coming.

His eyes scanned his surroundings critically, searching for anything that he could use as self-defense. He found none. Lying on a futon, he was covered by a soft fluffy blanket. He could not see much beyond the black net, but he could make out the large, spacious, tatami-matted room.

"Haha wa iwareta..."

_Mother said one day..._

How long had he been unconscious? He could not even move an inch. He tried to recall the last thing that had happened. He had went to retrieve Kyuubi, and...

He winced as a sharp pain jolted through his head. Where was he? How long had he been unconscious?

"Hito no te aru wa..."

_There is more that we must know... _

The owner of the voice was coming closer.

Tensed, he fixed his ebony eyes towards the door.

"Hagukumi no tame..."

_A mortal hand will sustain... _

Just at that moment, the shoji door slid open.

Despite being obstructed by the mosquito net, he could still make out the silhouette of a long haired female. The smell of food drifted to his nose, and he took note of the small black table she brought with her.

"Ohayou gozaimasu Itachi-san!"

Her bright cheerful voice had him blinking in stupefaction. That was something he certainly did not expect. The woman was humming as she came closer.

He narrowed his eyes as milky white hand parted the net.

She was...

It was unexplainable.

The moment Itachi set his eyes on her, he knew that there was something different about this woman. It was not simply beauty. He had seen his fair share of beautiful women. This woman with ebony tresses and milky white skin was not anything exceptional. Granted he had never seen anyone with eyes as blue as hers. It was a deep, seemingly hollow yet bright blue, like sapphires.

As their eyes locked with each other, he could see. The eyes were old. Beautiful, hauntingly so, yet it was old. They took his breath away.

He might appear emotionless, but he knew that he was caught off guard when he did not notice the little Neko until it mewed. He broke their short connection just as the woman smiled sheepishly. She placed the table of food on his lap before picking up the Neko.

"I'm Kagome, and this is Kirara! Yoroshiku onegai shimasu Itachi-san!" she introduced herself with a bright smile. The Neko mewed along with its mistress.

A... nin Neko? Itachi's eyes narrowed at the two tailed Neko. It was cream coloured, with black stripes on its tails and cheeks. It has a black diamond shaped marking on its forehead. It looked at him curiously with its crimson eyes.

A two tailed Neko. Was it a generic disorder or...

"You know, there's food right under your nose."

His thoughts were interrupted by the woman. He stared at her critically, but before he could ask any question, he was once again interrupted by the same woman.

"Eat first, talk later." She ordered while wagging her index finger.

He raised an eyebrow at her chiding. If she saw it, she did not comment as she leaned forward to rearrange the pillows behind him. Then with gentleness and strength, she adjusted his aching and numb body to sitting position.

The Neko rubbed its body against his hand as its mistress settled the table atop his lap. On it was a big bowl of porridge and what looked like a bowl of miso soup.

He could feel the Neko's soft fur on his hand, yet it seemed that the hand still wouldn't obey his commands.

Kagome raised her eyebrows. Setting herself down beside him, she took the spoon and scooped the top part of the hot porridge. Blowing on it, she placed the spoon before the pale man's lips.

Itachi stared at the food, then at the woman. The question rang clearly in their minds.

"I won't bother taking care of you just to poison your food." The woman giggled, "After all, the price for killing someone is very heavy... enough to crush."

He did not take her second statement to heart when she spoke. Instead he continued to stare at the spoonful of porridge. It was not only poisoning that Itachi was worried about. However, he could sense no lie from the woman. And from the way his stomach was churning, it seemed that he has no other choice. Sighing inwardly, Itachi willed his mouth to part and accept the offered food.

It was warm...

It was rejuvenating. The emptiness he felt previously was slowly filled as he ate. Judging by his body's reaction to the food, he guessed that he had been unconscious for quite some time.

"You are in my shop." The woman stated as she fed him. Taking the napkin, she giggled as she wiped the porridge on the sides of his lips.

"H-how long has it been?" Itachi turned his head to the opposite side as he coughed. Feeling a hand rubbing his back comfortingly, he turned back to face the strange woman.

"One year." She replied absently as she placed another spoonful of porridge under his lips. Although his facial expression did not change, his surprise was shown by how he paused and stared at her instead of taking his food.

A year.

What had happened? What of Akatsuki? The Kyuubi? What of Konoha? Madara? Questions reeled in his mind. He needed to return as soon as possible. He could not allow the Kyuubi to be captured, or was he too late?

No. Before that...

"How did you know that I will be awake now?" He questioned sharply, his eyes narrowing at the well-dressed woman.

"Normal people will think that it's coincidence." She answered with a small smile as she placed the spoon down.

"You have food ready even before I woke up, that is no coincidence." Itachi replied emotionlessly.

"Sou." She nodded as she moved the small table of food away, "There is no coincidence in this world, there's only hitsuzen."

He watched as she took the Neko and placed it on her lap. Stroking it gently, she looked at him in the eye.

"Akatsuki was destroyed by Konoha."

Itachi stiffened at the statement. Akatsuki was destroyed? Was it even possible? He nodded for the woman to continue. Who could have destroyed Akatsuki?

"Akatsuki decided to lure the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki back to Konoha by attacking the village." She stated blandly, "They lost and died."

Died... No, that man could not possibly be dead.

"Oh," she added as an afterthought, "Uchiha Madara, he died too."

The next thing she knew, Itachi had pinned her down with his hands on her wrists. Kirara mewed in protest as it was shoved aside in the process. It had taken everything in him to do that action alone, yet despite his heavy labored breathing, his crimson irises were activated.

"Who are you?" he breathed out harshly.

The woman stared at him blankly, her sapphire-like eyes fixed on his crimson ones. Her pink lips broke out into a smile just as her eyes lowered mockingly. She was daring him, testing him. And he would have killed her without a second thought, had she been anyone else. However, there was something in her eyes.

She knew something.

"I am Kagome." She broke the silence with the simple statement. There was no fear, no nervousness, and no awkwardness.

Itachi glared, that was not the answer he was looking for, and she knew it.

"Your reality is your Shinobi life." smiling, she closed her eyes, "My reality is different."

All actions ceased as Itachi's Sharingan deactivated. Eyeing the woman pinned under him, his eyes soften. Her eyes were closed, her body was relaxed and still. Her words stuck a chord within him. It was strange to hear her say that, yet it was true to him.

"Who are you?" he repeated softly before a jolt of pain shot throughout his body. His body was sent forward, falling right onto the strange woman.

"You know," she started, "had this happen in any other situation, I would've slap you senseless for molest." Huffing, she turned him around in ease so that he lied on his back.

Her scent drifted into his nose as she arranged the pillows and pulled the blanket over his body. It was a soothing smell, and he realized just how tired he was. He struggled to stay conscious in this unknown territory, but the scent was telling his body to do otherwise.

"Everything has a price Itachi-san..." he heard her whisper, and blue was the last thing he saw before he fell into the dark abyss.

Once asleep, Kagome gracefully got to her feet.

"What a stubborn male." She giggled to herself before she picked up the small table of unfinished food.

"Stay with him Kirara-chan, he'll need your guidance when he wakes up tomorrow." She leaned down to pet the little Neko affectionately before turning to leave the room.

* * *

This time, Itachi woke up much more aware and alert than he was before. Testing his limbs, he nodded to himself when he was able to move them without trouble.

"Mrrr..eeow..?" a purr had him turning to the sleepy Neko that was previously sleeping beside his head. It rubbed its crimson eyes and gave a wide yawn before blinking curiously at Itachi. Taking it as his cue to get up, Itachi pushed himself up slowly, feeling his aching joints popping in the process.

For a moment he felt dizzy as the Neko pushed the net apart and slid open the shoji door, allowing sunlight to enter. Used to his deteriorating eyesight, it shocked him when everything cleared, and he was seeing things as a whole, not just blurs.

Eyes wide in disbelief, he lifted his fingers to his eyes. His eyesight was back? How was it possible? Focusing his chakra to his eyes, he felt his Sharingan activating. Gently, he picked the Neko up and gaze into its eyes for his reflection.

It was not Mangekyou.

How? Was it that woman? How did she remove his Mangekyou Sharingan? Was it even possible?

Who was that woman?

Kirara mewed, and he was brought back to reality. The Neko hopped onto his shoulder and pointed out of the room. Nodding, Itachi neatly folded the thick blanket, placing it at the base of the futon. Balancing himself as he stood up, he stretched himself before he followed the Neko's directions.

Spacious, elegant and beautiful, it was even lovelier than the Uchiha manor. He recalled the place he used to call home. It was beautiful, yet cold and empty. This place however held life. The air was fresh and clean, without a hint of blood or death.

Where was he exactly?

Kirara had led him to the end of the hall, where the bathhouse was. It was located next to the river. Understanding what was required of him, Itachi entered the large bathhouse. He took note of the towels and the yukata in the changing room. Undressing himself, he covered his lower part with a towel before walking into the bathing room.

It was massive. Itachi concluded as he stared at the huge hot spring before him. Shaking his head, he went to the shower stall. The Neko followed him in and wet itself on the sprinkles of warm water as Itachi showered.

Ignoring the little Neko, he lathered his body in soap. It was odorless, just how he preferred it to be. Once done, he was about to dry himself and dress when the Neko dashed out and leapt into the hot spring with an excited mew.

Wasn't Neko supposed to hate water? Apparently this one was an exception, Itachi thought as it swam around, purring in delight. Seeing that the Neko would not be done anytime soon, Itachi stepped into the hot spring.

He wondered. Akatsuki was gone, Konoha was probably back to the peaceful village it once was. There was no more purpose for his existence, nothing left in this world for him. He had served his purpose

That woman however, had treated him. What was her purpose? They were strangers, yet she had saved him. The him who was about to die and had wanted to die.

"People live their lives bound by what they accept as correct and true." his very own words echoed in his mind just as the woman's words came right after,

"My reality is different."

Thinking no more, he got out of the hot spring and dried himself. He dressed himself in the black silk yukata before squatting down to dry the mewing Neko. Once done, Itachi gestured to the Neko to lead the way.

Taking the routes to mind as they walked, Kirara took Itachi to the kitchen, where he made a simple sandwich for himself and the Neko. After the quick lunch, Kirara walked him around the compound.

He was walking around absent mindedly when he heard a horrified scream,

"Please! Make the blood go away! I'll do anything!"

Curious, Itachi made his way to where the voice came from. Turning the corner, he arrived at the entrance of the manor.

There was a middle aged civilian woman standing at the door. An ugly sight, for her hands were covered with blood that seemed to drip from every pocket on her outfit.

In between himself and the bloody lady was Kagome. She was dressed in a blue kimono which has white butterfly embroideries.

Despite only seeing her back, Itachi noticed her stiff posture.

"You should not promise 'anything' so lightly." Her voice, although calm and smooth, held a steel-like quality that was not unfamiliar to Itachi's ears.

She was angry.

"Please! There's nothing worst than that thing!" the blood soaked woman screamed as she grabbed her head in terror and fear.

It was then Itachi noticed the 'thing' in Kagome's hand. It was a haori, stained with blood. Turning to it, Kagome held it up higher.

And it burst into flames.

Alarmed, Itachi activated his Sharingan immediately. Yet nothing was out of place. There was no jutsu casted, nor was there any chakra involved. How could the haori combust? What did she do?

"Ah..." the woman sighed in bliss as her knees weakened, causing her to fell on her knees. She looked up gratefully at Kagome, whose emotionless eyes were still staring at the now empty hand.

"Your price will be..." she spoke in calm monotone, "You cannot be seen by the opposite sex. If you do, the blood will appear again."

At her words, the other woman's eyes widened in horror.

"How could you!?" she yelled accusingly as Kagome's statement sank into her mind. When her eyes landed on Itachi, who was standing behind Kagome, she immediately turned to the side and vomited blood on the ground. Tears were pouring out of her eyes in humiliation and fury as she glared at Kagome.

"You promised 'anything'." Kagome stated before the woman spat and left the house.

"The closer you are, the more pain it will cause." Turning, she sent Itachi a small smile, "Ne, Itachi-san?"

He did not answer as Uchiha Shisui's face appeared in his mind.

At his silence, Kagome giggled and approached him. Looking back, she waved her hand dismissively, and the bloody mess was gone.

Before Itachi could even ask, she had leaned forward to him and asked,

"How was your rest Itachi-san? Feeling better?"

Itachi recalled the events that he had seen and tried to put the pieces together. She had said that this was a shop, so if he assumed that the woman was a customer...

What shop was this?

There were so many questions in Itachi's mind as he tried to understand the enigma that he was presented with. However, Kagome took the matter to her own hands when she answered one of the questions in his mind.

"This is a shop that sells wishes."

Sell wishes? It made sense when he connected it to the incident, yet it did not make sense as a whole. How could she 'grant' wishes? What jutsu was that?

"Your head will explode if you think too much Itachi-san." Her sing-song voice entered his ears as she giggled and started walking down the hallway.

Reluctantly, he followed. If this woman could grant wishes, it would only make sense for it to be a risk, a 'price' to pay. For Shinobi, chakra was the price to activate Jutsu. It seemed that for her, an equal price for the deed done was required to fulfill the wish.

If so...

"What was the price?" he asked without a hint of hesitation or fear.

Kagome did not answer as she led him to what seemed to be a storage house at the corner of the backyard. She slid the door open and entered.

The first thing that entered his line of vision was his Akatsuki cloak, spread and displayed as thought it was an expensive kimono. Strangely enough, Kagome had managed to clean the blood out of it. There was not even a faint scent of blood.

As his gaze shifted, he noticed many other 'things' that emitted or have lingering traces of strange chakra. Artifacts? All of these? As his eyes swept through all the artifacts in the room, they landed on his weapon holster and all his assorted weapons.

"I found all your stuff and kept them." Kagome smiled warmly towards him, "There is a Dojo in this premises."

"What do I need to pay for them?" Itachi cut through her chatter with a pointed tone.

She raised a hand to hide her giggles behind her kimono sleeve.

"Work here," She finally stated with a grin, "as my housekeeper."

"Until?" Itachi raised an eyebrow at her cheerfulness.

"Until the time arrives..." again it was that hollow, emotionless tone. Itachi knew how risky and dangerous this contract was. She could keep him here forever for all he knew. He did not even want to think of what her 'power' could do to him in this situation.

However, what was there to lose? He who no longer had any purpose in existence did not need to care about anything. Investigating and learning about this woman could be more fruitful than whatever he could find out there.

All in all, he had nothing to lose... right?

"Very well." He nodded his head in agreement before he moved forward to take his equipments and weapons. He did not bother with the cloak, he had no need for it anymore.

"Yatta!" Kagome clapped her hands in excitement. Turning around, she started to skip away almost childishly.

"I want Oden for dinner!" her laughter echoed through the gardens as she left him, once again, with Kirara.

Said Neko tapped a paw to his foot and gave him a sympathetic mew. And Itachi wondered what had he really agreed on.

* * *

"Ryou no te awase~ tobira wo hiraki..."

_Two hands together, incomplete alone... _

Kagome sand softly as she leaned on the bridge atop the koi pond.

"Guren no naka ni nare wo kaesu..."

_Balance in union... and the gate will open... _

Looking down, she watched the koi swimming freely in the water. Free... what did it mean to be free? Were they truly free?

"Na ga kora o hikari to narite..."

_Go my children go, go to crimson flames..._

No, they were never free, for they were caged within this tiny little spot when they could be swimming in the huge river, without boundaries or limitations.

"Mamori tamae..."

_To save our children... _

Then again, they did not know that. They did not know of what lie beyond. They lived in a small space that was the world to them. To them, they were free. They cannot see or understand that they were encaged in such a manner, they have no idea of the truth.

There were some who had jumped out to see the truth. However, most did not make it out alive. The few who did found that they were in the unknown, and when the truth was finally revealed to them...

They could no longer return.

"Mamori... tamae..."

_The lights memory... remains... _

She ended her song just as the scent of freshly brewed soup drifted into her nose.

"What was the price?" Itachi's voice repeated in her mind as she made her way to the pavilion for her dinner.

"You have paid your price Itachi." She muttered as she seated herself comfortably, "What was most precious to you."

She waved at the approaching Itachi with a bright smile. It was quite a sight, the Uchiha Itachi with a pot of Oden.

"The memories of your brother."

* * *

Authors Note: I will gladly accept any reviews or criticism in regards to the format, plot or any errors. And of course, suggestions to improve the fic.


	2. Chapter 2 : Akatsuki No Kuruma

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Naruto, the song and the reference to xxxHolic. Also, I do not make any money from these writings.

Translation

Hitsuzen – The Inevitable

Akatsuki No Kuruma – The Wheel of Dawn (by Fiction Junction featuring YUUKA)

* * *

Chapter 2 : Akatsuki No Kuruma

Just what was the truth hidden within this 21 year old male named Uchiha Itachi?

We all knew the same truth. Whenever the name Uchiha Itachi was mentioned, our responses would always be "psychotic genius who murdered his own clan" or a slightly more in-depth "ruthless murderer who emotionally scarred his brother for life" and of course the women's favourite "a killer with a hint of kindness and love, enough to spare his beloved younger brother".

Look underneath the underneath.

Those were the words of a Shinobi whose skills and capabilities were highly renowned in the Shinobi world. The same words he taught his pupils. The same three pupils whose lives were intertwined with Uchiha Itachi.

Yet, what could be underneath what had seemed so clear? Uchiha Itachi had gone berserk and massacred his clan...

Right?

Why did he spare Sasuke then?

Because he still have a speck of kindness and love in his heart? Or was it because he could not kill a child?

Oh no, of course not.

As little Uchiha Sasuke discovered later, he was left alive to be a sacrificial lamb for his elder brother, for the "eternal" Mangekyou Sharingan, for more power... to measure his capacity.

Or was it?

We stopped there. We did not question anything anymore. We never thought that there might be something underneath that, never thought of the possibilities. What else could there be after all? Uchiha Itachi destroyed his clan, and the reason for it was clear.

Look underneath the underneath.

The phrase repeated itself two times in his mind as she made his way to the backyard. The same Uchiha Itachi, infamous for massacring his entire clan, a S-class missing nin who joined the Akatsuki.

The same missing nin who was now comfortably clad in a plain black yukata, and in his hand was a plate full of sliced melons.

"Kazesasou kokage ni utsubusete naiteru  
Mi mo shiranu watashi wo watashi ga miteita  
Yuku hito no shirabe wo kanaderu GITAARA  
Konu hito no nageki ni hoshi ha ochite"

_Shaded by the trees, calling out to the wind, I'm lying face-down crying  
I saw a version of myself I didn't even recognize  
On this guitar I'm playing the melody of someone who's passed on  
A star falls in the grief of someone who'll never be seen again_

His feet brought him closer to the gentle and melodious voice. It was accompanied by the sound of some string instrument, as far as he could tell.

One week.

That was how long he had stayed in this manor. With that amount of time, he had become quite adapted to her constant singing, or came to appreciate it perhaps. It was always a new song each day.

He turned a corner to the backyard.

Sometimes it was in some language he did not understand, and sometimes she would simply play her instrument. It might be unfamiliar to him, yet it still sounded just as pleasing.

Currently she was sitting on the wooden ground facing the pond. Donned in a simple long white sleeveless dress, she was strumming what he was told to be the "guitar".

"Yukanaide, donna ni sakende mo  
ORENJI no hanabira shizuka ni yureru dake  
Yawarakana hitai ni nokosareta  
Te no hira no kioku haruka  
Tokoshie no sayonara tsuma hiku"

_Please don't go, no matter how much you scream,  
All it will do is quietly stir these orange petals  
Saved on my soft brow,  
I send the memories in my palm far away  
An eternal farewell as I keep strumming_

"Ah Itachi-san! Ohayou!"

Upon seeing his approach, she sent him a bright smile and gently placed her guitar beside her. With grace that fit the his former noble status, Itachi sat down, placing the plate in between them.

"Wai! Melon!" She cheered as she took a slice and bit into it happily. Sometimes, he found himself ticked by her cheerfulness. However, there are times when her child-like personality seemed to calm him down.

"Ne ne Itachi-san, isn't it beautiful?" She nudged excitedly at him before waving at the orange glow beyond them.

Had it been anyone else, Uchiha Itachi would have snapped. However, Uchiha Itachi was not "anyone else". He was Uchiha Itachi. He had met and stayed with all different types of twisted and mentally sick murderers.

Therefore waking up before dawn without a reason did not affect him in any way.

The morning sun was slowly rising, illuminating the place with an orange glow. It was beautiful, Itachi agreed with a nod.

"Yasashii te ni sugaru kodomo no kokoro wo  
Moesakaru kuruma ha furiharai susumu  
Yuku hito no nageki wo kanadete GITAARA  
Mune no ito hageshiku kakinarashite"

_The heart of a child clinging to a gentle hand  
The blazing wheels cast it off and continue on  
On this guitar I'm playing the grief of someone who's passed on  
The strings in my heart being plucked at violently_

He watched as she picked up the guitar and started to pluck its strings to the song. Leaning against a pole, he stretched his legs forward, turning his head to gaze at the rising sun.

One week. It had only been that short. Yet in this single week, Itachi had learn more truth than he could have in years.

Look underneath the underneath.

It was something that most Shinobi understood, yet overlooked.

A soft mew turned his attention to the two tailed Neko. She jumped onto his lap and rubbed herself against his stomach. When had he stop thinking of her as "it" he did not know, yet he reached out to stroke her gently. A brush of his skin at first, then he lightly applied pressure, being mindful not to squash the palm-sized Neko.

Kirara purred in response, her two tails wagging in delight.

Yesterday there was another "customer", a young civilian lady. It had been a short but pleasant exchange. The lady had no apparent idea why did she enter the shop. Yet when Kagome had asked for her wish, she had replied casually, saying that her little finger was numb.

It had been a pleasant occurrence until then.

* * *

Itachi watched the two women as they spoke at the entrance. He himself was absentmindedly sweeping the floor.

"Do you have any bad habits?" a strange question, yet that was what Kagome had asked the woman. What did the numbness of the finger had to do with habits?

"No" was the customer's reply.

"Really...?" Kagome's eyes had narrowed then.

Giggling, the woman nodded.

Of course, Itachi mused. Who would tell their bad habit to a stranger? Even so, the connection between bad habit and the finger was still unknown to him.

At least, until he activated his Sharingan.

There was... something around her little finger. It was barely visible as it was but if Itachi had to describe it, it was like a small mist.

He watched as Kagome reached into her kimono, drawing out a ring. It was a simple bronze ring with a ruby stone. Holding it up, she handed it to the woman's open palm.

"If you want to wear it, just put it on your finger." She had stated, her voice devoid of its usual cheerfulness.

"Is this a cure?" The woman asked back as she stared down at the ring.

"Think what you want," Kagome had replied, "if you don't want to wear it anymore just throw it away."

"But..." Kagome continued before the woman could leave. Itachi had never heard her speaking with such a cold voice, and strangely, it was not out of place for the usually bubbly woman.

"Think carefully, what is the point of having a little finger."

* * *

"Aa kanashimi ni somaranai shirosa de  
ORENJI no hanabira yureteta natsu no kage ni  
Yawarakana hitai wo nakushite mo  
Akaku someta suna haruka koete yuku  
Sayonara no RIZUMU"

_In the pure white unstained by sorrow,  
The orange petals stirred in a summer shadow  
Even if my soft brow is lost,  
I'll cross over the far off, red-stained sand  
The rhythm of farewell_

Itachi shifted his line of sight to his little finger. There was something about her words that had his mind reeling. What was the point of the little finger?

As the dawn broke, Itachi felt a presence at the door. Kagome must have felt it too, for she had placed her guitar down and stood up. Placing Kirara on his shoulder, he got to his feet to follow the mistress of this manor.

"Welcome." He heard her greet as she placed her weight on the shoji door. It was the woman from yesterday, Itachi noted. Once again he activated his Sharingan, making sure to hide them behind his long bangs.

It had grown.

The mist that was only covering her little finger last evening was now surrounding her body. Was it chakra? Itachi could not say for certain, but it appeared menacing.

"Ah, when I realize it I was already inside." She bowed an apology, raising her arm to her chest.

The ring looked dirtier than it was before.

"You can put it on..." Kagome trailed as she glanced at the ring, "but it won't change anything."

"Eh?" The woman blinked in confusion

Leaning forward, Kagome asked, "How old are you?"

"Twenty-one" she answered with a smile.

Itachi's eyes widened when the mist seemed to burst out of the woman the moment she replied.

"You really don't have one?" Kagome tilted her head and asked softly, "A habit."

"Did I do anything wrong?" The woman asked.

Itachi stared at the seemingly confused woman. The more common answer would have been "Why do you ask?" or "Pardon?". After all, Kagome's question was not normal. The woman however, did not seem to realize it at all. She knew what Kagome was talking about and was questioning what had given her away. Assuming that, Kagome could probably see the mist which was somehow connected to her bad habit.

What was it...

"Hmm... any other part which is not normal?" Kagome inquired, once again glancing at the ring.

"Now that you mention it..." the woman held up her arm, "The wrist feels weird too."

"Hmm..." Kagome held out a finger to touch the mist, and the woman looked at her questioningly before she asked again.

"Habit... I don't think there's anything special..." she frowned slightly, "But if I find out, will I be able to move on?"

"If you can get rid of the habit." Her voice was monotone, and her face was a blank mask. It intrigued Itachi.

"Understood" The customer nodded with a small smile, "I'll think about it."

"Would you like some tea?" Kagome offered, and Itachi prepared himself to do the task when the customer declined,

"Thank you... but I need to go to town."

"For?"

"For my husband, he asked me to shop for groceries."

Itachi almost took a step back when the mist engulfed her entirely. It was not chakra, but it was an unpleasant feeling. He could barely make out her form within the supposedly tranparent mist.

"I'll come back another time for tea then." She smiled warmly, "I have to go now."

Nodding, Kagome stared at her back as she left.

"I don't think she'll be coming to this store anymore."

Itachi's attention immediately shifted to the raven haired woman.

"Habit..." Kagome held up her little finger, "The pinky is a very important thing." She spoke, as thought in a daze.

Itachi too looked at his little finger, the question still rang in his mind.

"You need to be conscious of it... for if a person does not want to rid of it, it cannot be gotten rid of."

Suddenly, her lips broke out into a smile.

"Itachi-san, I want sake!" she giggled at the lean male.

Raising an eyebrow at her mood swing, Itachi wondered if she was old enough for sake, but decided that he did not want to know. Lowering Kirara to the ground, he left to make preparation to head to the market.

* * *

"Be careful on the way!" he heard her yelling excitedly and shook his head.

With light, silent steps, Itachi made his way down the stairs with a straw basket. He had been quite surprise to find that the manor was a Shinto shrine of sorts, if the steps and trees were any indication. It was located atop the cliffs between the fire, rain and water country.

It was in plain sight. Yet for certain reasons, no Shinobi or anyone knew about its existence. He himself was sure that he had went past the place time and time again while doing his missions in Akatsuki. If there was a Genjutsu or Kekkai, it was so powerful that even he could neither sense nor dispel it.

He did not know how powerful Kagome's Kekkai or Genjutsu was, and he was not going to risk being caught unaware. Once he was in the forest, he moved.

Swift, silent yet graceful, that was the only way to describe Itachi as he glided through the trees. Taking out the three paper seals be brought, he pasted them at three different, well-concealed places.

Once done, he placed two fingers up to activate the Jutsu.

Satisfied, he made his way closer to the main road. While walking, he casted a simple, yet powerful Genjutsu over himself. To the others, he would appear to be a woman in her early twenties. He had used this Jutsu all too many times, whether it was to infiltrate a village, or simply to lose Kisame and earn himself some peace.

Once he stepped out onto the main road, he added weight to his steps to play his part. Seeing an old merchant up ahead of him, he skipped forward to chase up.

"Ohayou ojou-chan, what're you doing so early in the morning?" The old man greeted politely as he stopped to walk beside him.

Smiling back, Itachi answered smoothly, "I'm helping my mother. She wants fish for lunch."

"Ohh, what a good girl." The elderly nodded to himself as they entered border town in ease. Once they were far enough from the Anbu stationed around the area, Itachi excused himself politely and began his grocery shopping trip.

* * *

"Onee-san, is there anything else you need?" The man was annoying, Itachi decided as he put on a smile on his face nonetheless, directing it at the shop owner.

"Gomenasai but I need to buy medicines for Okaa-san." Itachie lied easily, his basket now full with food and the sake Kagome had requested.

"Ah, the pharmacy is that way Onee-san. Do you need me to take you there?" The man grinned cheekily as he pointed to the opposite direction from where he had planned to go.

Eying the man, who was wriggling his eyebrows suggestively, Itachi decided that he would rather walk one round around the town than being anywhere near this man.

"Iye, arigatou gozaimasu." He bowed and head towards the pointed direction.

As he walked down the huge market (smiling at people while at it), he saw the "customer" from Kagome's shop greeting the others as she too walked down the same road.

"You know, I heard she's twenty-eight years old." His sharp ears caught the voices of other civilians.

"Eh!? But she told me she's twenty-two!" another exclaimed.

He continued his way forward, his Sharingan eyes fixed on the woman. She stopped before the hospital as the nurse came out to talk to her.

Making his way closer, he heard snippets of the conversation.

"What a beautiful ring!" The nurse complimented.

"Hai. It's a gift from my boyfriend." She replied with a smile.

Again, the mist burst out as she spoke.

Deactivating his Sharingan, Itachi finally realized her habit. A liar? He observed as the woman lied to the nurse without batting an eyelash. It was quite impressive, for a civilian.

As they said their goodbyes, the woman took a few steps before she looked at the ring. And Itachi activated his Sharingan again. The ring was even dirtier than before, it almost seemed rusty.

"It's so dirty... I need him to get me a better one." There was a huge burst of mist this time, and Itachi's eyes focused on the ring just as a crack appeared on the ruby stone.

The woman moved to remove the ring from her little finger.

Her body went stiff.

It was also at that moment that the huge hospital name board cracked and fell...

Right onto her.

_"I don't think she'll be coming to this store anymore."_

Kagome's hollow words whispered in his mind. He could not hear the screams around him as he stood rooted on the spot. Sure he had witnessed death, countless of it. Yet this one shook him. This death made him uncomfortable.

It took him a while to return from his stupor. Noticing that more and more people were gathering, he discreetly left, making his way around and out of the town.

The events repeated in his head even as he stood outside the town. Smiling at the guards, he calmed himself. It was a death, an accident, something that occurred everyday.

Thinking no more, Itachi head back to the manor.

* * *

"Omoide wo yakitsukushite susumu daichi ni  
Natsukashiku me fuite yuku mono ga aru no"

_Branded into my memories, on the ever-turning earth,  
there is something sprouting in remembrance_

Kagome's soft voice entered his ears as he arrived at the top of the steps. He made his way to the kitchen to prepare lunch for both of them.

As he filled the refrigerator with food, Kirara walked to his side. She looked up at him and gave a soft questioning mew. Itachi's eyes soften as he picked the Neko up and place her on his shoulder, stroking her in assurance.

Had she known that this would happen? Her parting words with the customer said as much. However, had she also known that he would be witnessing the scene?

"Be careful on you way" she had said. Was that an implication or was it a normal greeting? A coincidence?

"_There is no coincidence in this world, there's only hitsuzen."_

So she knew all along.

"Mew?" Kirara's mew returned him back to reality. He flipped the fish on the pan before he burnt it, nodding towards the Neko.

* * *

"So... The hospital name board fell on her." Kagome drawled as she leaned back on her left arm, drinking the sake from the small cup with her right hand, "Till the end, she didn't realize it..."

Sitting beside her, Itachi took a sip from his own cup of sake.

"Why didn't you tell her?" He asked, his voice smooth and calm, belying his curiousity.

They were having their lunch under the massive tree at the front yard. Itachi watched as she leaned her shoulder against the tree, tilting her head to gaze at its blooming flowers.

"When people lie, some things are lost or they will be punished. However, she didn't noticed it because she didn't care." She sighed as she stroked the feeding Kirara beside her.

"To a person who don't even care that she's lying to herself, the result would have been the same." She took a sip out of her cup before continuing, "She didn't care about what she would lose."

Back against the giant tree, Itachi watched as its flowers danced with the wind before him.

"You can see the future." He stated. He felt warm, possibly due to the sake. Yet it felt good... liberating perhaps.

"You think so?" Kagome laughed, not a happy laugh. It sounded tired. Old.

Itachi did not reply to her question. Instead, he said,

"Finish the song."

"I will, once you answer me," giggled the blushing woman, who obviously had a little too much drink.

"Why were you at the hospital?"

Smirking, Itachi finished his cup of sake and answered,

"It was the price I paid."

Giggling once again, Kagome stood up and faced the usually emotionless man. Eyes half lidded, Itachi looked drunk.

"You know," opening her arms wide, Kagome spread out the bright orange kimono that adorned her body. And Itachi thought she looked like a bird.

"This song isn't just for her." Smiling back at him, she took a deep breath and sang,

"Akatsuki no kuruma wo miokutte  
ORENJI no hanabira yureteru ima mo dokoka  
Itsuka mita yasurakana yoake wo  
Mou ichido te ni suru made  
Kesanaide tomoshibi"

_Sending off the dawn's carriage  
Those orange petals are stirring somewhere even now  
The peaceful daybreak I once saw  
Until it is placed in my hands once more,  
Please don't let the light go out_

She twirled around the fallen petals before fixing her sapphire blue eyes into his deep black abyss.

"Kuruma wa mawaru yo..."

_The wheels are turning..._

* * *

Author's Note: _Cliche_ much? Yes I know. Don't worry, this will be the last. _-smiles-_

I dislike answering reviews in the story itself as I feel that it is quite annoying to the readers. Hence, for the people who had reviewed (thank you very much), I had answered to some of them. They're posted on my profile page.

Please review. It allows me to see and know whether you have enjoyed or find this fiction a waste of time. Please feel free to point out any mistake in the chapter, may it be grammatical-wise or sentence structure-wise, I'll correct it as soon as possible. Thank you very much.


	3. Chapter 3 : Hope

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Naruto, and the reference to xxxHolic. Also, I do not make any money from these writings.

Translation  
Teme – Bastard  
Usuratonkachi – Dobe  
Godaime – 5th Hokage  
Shishou – Master/Teacher  
Mataku – Geez  
Miko – Priestess  
Dattebayo - Believe it

* * *

Chapter 3 : Hope

There was a woman.

She was standing before a huge white building. Something about her hand seemed to occupy her mind.

There was a ring on her little finger. It looked dirty. The woman seemed to be saying something before she decided to remove the ring from her finger.

His eyes went wide when he saw a huge board falling onto her.

* * *

"SASUKE!"

He heard the scream. Opening his eyes in surprise, he saw red.

There was pain.

His hand flew to grip his head as he closed his eyes. There was a burning, scalding pain on his eyes. What had happened? It hurt. What was that?

"Sasuke-kun! I need you to lie back down and close your eyes!" A female voice commanded as he felt himself being lowered.

He was too absorbed in the pain to resist the action or even register the words. What the hell had happened? He thought as he felt something wet on his cheeks. Tears? No, it couldn't be, for it did not feel like tears.

"Sasuke-kun, I'm going to put a warm towel on your eyes." The female voice told him before yelling, "Naruto get the towel!"

"O... Osu!" he heard an extremely familiar male voice and the sound of feet stomping about in hurry.

Naruto.

The name relaxed him ever slightly. Naruto was here, so the female must be Sakura.

He dropped his guard as everything came back to him. He was back in Konohagure No Sato. Right... he reassured himself, he was safe, Naruto was here. Sakura too. The pain would go away soon, he told himself as he relaxed his body, trying to ignore the pain that were his eyes. He felt something wet and warm cleaning his cheeks before it was placed on his closed eyes.

"What happened?" he heard the door slammed open as –if his hearing was right- three sets of footsteps walking into his room.

"Tsunade no baa-chan!" The familiar, loud, slightly high pitched voice yelled, "Sasuke he! There's something wrong with him! There's there's..." panic, worry, fear and confusion were laced in his voice.

Sasuke always thought that being a Shinobi contradicted to everything that was Naruto. Shinobi were supposed to be sharp, silent and unfeeling. It was everything that Naruto could never be.

Then again, Naruto was the number one most unpredictable Shinobi.

"Naruto, calm down." An older male voice, Kakashi he assumed, spoke calmly, "Now what happened here Sakura?"

There was a foreign touch on his cheek. Feeling uncomfortable, he turned his head away, wincing as the lingering pain throbbed.

"We were just talking." Sakura started, and he could make out her harsh breathing with his trained ears, "We were about to train when Sasuke-kun's eyes..." he found himself listening in, wondering what had happened.

"The Mangekyou Sharingan activated themselves and bleed."

He tensed in response. The Mangekyou Sharingan had forced itself out? This had not happened since he killed Uchiha Madara, which was more than six months ago. He had no use of them since, and they have been dormant within him.

What was that vision?

He was brought back to the conversation when Kakashi coughed.

"How do you feel Sasuke?" he asked shortly.

"Painful." He replied dryly. How else? His eyes had bled, and eyes were not supposed to bleed. Why did this happen then? Was it to show him that vision? Why? Who was that woman? Where was that? What had it got to do with him? Why did the Mangekyou Sharingan show him that vision?

"Uchiha Sasuke." The stern voice of the Godaime had him sighing inwardly, knowing that the brute of a woman would not accept his answer.

"There was a woman." He stated, wondering how much should he reveal. The vision had been vague and blurry.

"A woman?"

So that was who the third person was.

Hyuuga Neji. He must have been the one who had gone to inform Kakashi and Tsunade. He did sense him waiting outside the Uchiha compound, as he always did before they went to train.

Hyuuga Neji. He was a Jounin, yet instead of training with other Jounin, he preferred to train with team Kakashi. He had commented that both he and Naruto were better than any other Jounin he could find, ones that were willing to risk having all their Chakra pathways blocked.

Sasuke always felt that there was more though.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura called hesitantly, and he knew that they wanted a detailed explanation.

"I saw a woman." He thinned his lips when he realized that he was at a loss on how to explain this vision without sounding like a nut job, "It seemed like a vision."

How was he going to explain that he saw a woman who died from a fallen board? Was he turning into someone that could see death premonition? Naruto had once told him of this Miko girl from Oni No Kuni who could see death of people who tried to protect her.

So was he going to die unless some random girl died due to a fallen board? That sounded crazy, even to him.

"Ano na Sasuke," Kakashi sighed, "we can't hear your thoughts, you know."

Sasuke wanted to retort back rudely, but he felt that it would not do him any good now that he was slightly vulnerable. So instead, he decided to elaborate.

"A large board fell on her."

"So Teme..." Naruto's voice was filled with uncertainty, "You uhh... You went Mangekyou and saw a woman being hit by a fallen board?"

"Are you deaf Usuratonkachi?" went Mangekyou indeed, Sasuke thought sarcastically. He nodded as someone –probably Sakura- placed a new warm towel over his eyes.

"What the hell was that you Teme!?" as usual, Naruto was so easy to anger. He smirked when he heard a loud sound of something whacking the back of the blond's head. Not Sakura unfortunately, for it sounded much lighter. It was most likely Kakashi.

"This is a weird situation na?" He felt his bed dipped beside him.

"So the Mangekyou Sharingan were showing you stuff..." Kakashi paused before asking, "Tsunade-sama, how's his eyes?"

"They seem fine." The Hokage answered grimly, "Why did the Mangekyou Sharingan show you that vision? Did you recognize the woman Sasuke?"

"She was a civilian woman." Sasuke said pointedly. Shinobi did not mingle themselves with Civilians unless it was a mission. There was no way he would recognize a civilian. He was an Uchiha.

"Sasuke" Neji called calmly, "What was the surrounding like? What were the woman's actions?"

He heard a hitch of breath and knew that the other had not thought about that question.

"What does it matter? The problem is why is this happening." He bit out harshly. Why? Why him? Why the Mangekyou Sharingan? Why now? He had not and probably would never use the Mangekyou Sharingan again.

"Gaki, it's important for you to tell us everything." Tsunade hissed at him. Really, Naruto and the Hokage were so alike.

"She was standing in front of a white building." Sasuke explained blandly, "She was looking at her ring, the board fell after she removed it."

"And where was your position?" Kakashi proded,

"I was..." he paused to remember, "behind the fences approximately ten meters away."

"Do you remember what was written on the board?" Tsunade inquired.

"No, the vision was hazy." He answered as his towel was changed again.

"Hey Sasuke, don't tell me you're becoming like Shion-chan!?" Naruto exclaimed in mock horror, "You're getting visions of people dying!"

"Only for the people who will protect her Naruto." Neji reminded, and Sasuke could almost hear his amusement,

Like he ever need anyone's protection.

"You know Sasuke, Shion-chan told me that she was seeing those visions from another's person's eyes..." Naruto started babbling to ease the tensed atmosphere, and Sasuke stopped hearing from that point as his body froze.

"W-wait Naruto! Repeat what you just said!" Sasuke yelled as he sat up, letting the towel fell onto his lap. His vision blurred at first before everything slowly cleared. The eyes throbbed, but he barely noticed, his mind focused intently on the blond.

"Eh?" Naruto blinked back at him, "Ano... Was the nee-chan pretty?"

"No you Usuratonkachi! Before that!" Sasuke snapped, his previously ebony eyes had changed to his crimson Sharingan.

"Shion-chan was seeing those visions from another person's eyes..." Naruto trailed in confusion, "Oi! What's the matter!?"

He thought that time had stopped.

Or perhaps it was his heart that had stopped beating.

He couldn't seem to see anything, and he couldn't hear anything besides Naruto's statement.

Naruto's voice repeated itself over and over, like a mantra.

"Visions from another person's eyes..."

"Get your mind out of the gutter Uchiha Sasuke!" A loud commanding, booming voice snapped him back to reality. His head, which had turned to the source in reflex, was suddenly hit by a jolt of pain. Closing his eyes, a hand went up to massage his temples.

"Uchiha Itachi is dead! Move on Sasuke!" The Godaime stated firmly.

Sasuke retorted back, "There was no corpse!"

Hope.

It was hope that was bubbling within Sasuke. The more he reasoned, the more he was starting to convince himself. Even after all these months, there wasn't a corpse to be found. There were no body parts either. And now the Mangekyou Sharingan were acting up, the Sharingan that were given by him was showing him visions...

It had to be.

"Sasuke..." Kakashi called out calmly, "Itachi is dead. The Akatsuki had probably cremated his body after performing an autopsy."

"Then why would the Mangekyou Sharingan activate themselves?" scowled Sasuke before he let himself fall back onto his bed, breathing hard. "He gave me this Mangekyou Sharingan and its secret techniques... everything. It's only right if they react to him."

"Sasuke..." Kakashi repeated softly.

"Please..." The Uchiha breathed out as he raised his arm to cover his closed eyes, "If there was a slight chance... a clue..."

Begging. An Uchiha never begged. However, Sasuke valued his brother way more than the Uchiha name. He needed this chance, no matter how minuscule it was. He needed to know, to see that his brother might be somewhere out there... alive.

He heard Tsunade sighed before she ruffled his hair.

"Gaki, you know that the village is still in ruin. We cannot afford to spare high ranked people to search for a dead man."

There was an uncomfortable silence as they waited for the Uchiha to reply.

He did, his voice soft, sounding almost weak.

"Uchiha Madara..." He muttered, looking away, "Before he died... he was laughing."

"Eh?" rang through the room before silence took over as they expected the Uchiha prodigy to continue.

"'You still don't know the real truth' was what he said."

"The real truth?" Kakashi repeated hesitantly, earning a nod from the dark haired boy.

He had returned to Konohagure No Sato because of Naruto, because of their bond. They had promised to always rely on each other, to support one another. However, Naruto was not the Hokage... yet. He needed to follow the laws and rules to earn his position.

And Sasuke was planning. His brother might be alive, the same brother who gave up everything for him. The brother who had given up on his life –literally- for his sake might be alive... out there, somewhere. The same brother who had lived his life with the little brother he loved hating him, never knowing anything but his hate and malice.

He did not deserve it.

He had sacrificed too much, and had received nothing in return.

Sasuke was prepared to repay him, even at the cost of his life.

"Tsunade no baa-chan." He shifted, uncomfortable with the blond now that he had decided what to do.

"How about letting Sasuke and me go?"

Eh? Sasuke's eyes snapped open to stare at the smiling blond.

"We're both Genin, we aren't allowed to do any high ranked missions anyways." He continued confidently, "You have too many Genin to do your low rank missions... I don't see why we can't go."

"Naruto..." He breathed out in disbelief.

"What Teme? Think you can run away on your own again?" teased Naruto coyly.

His cheeks felt warmed as he turned away, embarrassed. Since when was he predictable?

"Tsunade-sama." Neji stepped forward, a smug smirk gracing his countenance, "I completed the A rank mission you gave me yesterday. I request to go with them."

Tsunade winced, smiling sheepishly at Kakashi who had turned to her, his eyebrows raised in question. It was known that newly made Jounin were not supposed to do anything above B rank missions for a certain period of time.

"Tsunade shishou, I'll also like to-" Sakura's statement was interrupted when Kakashi raised his hand.

"Hai hai I'll go and watch out for these kids." He smiled as he patted the Kunoichi's strawberry pink hair, "They need you in the hospital, Sakura."

"Mataku..." The Godaime sighed as she rubbed her temples, hiding a smile underneath her hands, "My own Shinobi blackmailing me..."

"Three months!" she stated firmly, glaring at Sasuke, "I'll give you three months to search for Itachi. You are to return after that and I expect you to turn in a report every week."

Resisting the urge to shrink back in fear, Sasuke nodded vigorously at the looming Hokage.

"Good." Tsunade nodded in approval, "Come Sakura, we need to return to the hospital."

"Hai Shishou." Sakura nodded. Turning to Sasuke, she lightly embraced the teen.

"Ganbatte, Sasuke-kun." She whispered encouragingly.

"Aww Sakura-chan, where's mine!?" Naruto pouted until the laughing Sakura too enveloped him in a hug.

"Take care, Naruto." She smiled warmly when Naruto held his thumbs up.

"I'll see you when you're back then!" waving, she ran out of the room.

"What about me?" the dejected Jounin pointed to himself, causing the others to laugh, "Maa, I'll see you all at the West Gate tomorrow sunrise. We'll go to the place where you battled Itachi first."

With that, the Jounin disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Discreetly, Sasuke glanced at the white eyed Jounin. Understanding the message, Neji nodded.

"I'll wait for you outside Naruto." He told the blond before leaving the room.

Now that Neji was gone, Sasuke fixed his ebony eyes on Naruto.

Unlike before, Naruto looked different now. The usual bright yellow spiky hair was now highlighted with crimson. It was not short and spiky anymore either, for it had grown slightly longer, touching his shoulders. The usual tan skin was gone too, it was light yellow now, almost white like he was. Gone was the broad shoulders and muscled form, instead he was lean and –using Naruto's own words- "girly looking".

It was his entire fault.

He had joined Akatsuki, and Madara had assigned him to capture the Kyuubi. It was his fault that Naruto had to fight him, with his tears and blood. It was his fault when Naruto had refused to kill him. It was his fault when he had used the Mangekyou Sharingan to burn him with Amaterasu.

It was his fault that Naruto had surrendered himself despite knowing that he could have win with his resistance to the Mangekyou Sharingan.

They had proceeded with the extraction on Naruto. And he had lost count on how many times he had emptied his stomach. Three days. For three days Naruto had screamed in agony. For three days Naruto had suffered the worst possible pain.

When he realized that it wasn't over even after three days, he had snapped.

The Akatsuki, all exhausted, were easy preys for Uchiha Sasuke. All died in his hands, all except for Uchiha Madara, who had managed to escape.

Panicked, he had run all his way to Konoha with Naruto. He did not know of the side effects for interrupting the extraction process, and there was no time to think. He had ran straight to the Hokage tower with his unmatchable speed, barely noticing his own exhaustion as he begged the Hokage to save Naruto.

There was hope.

There was fear.

He had waited outside the emergency room, leaning against the wall, trembling as he hugged himself.

He had prayed.

It was Kakashi that had approached his pitiful form. It was Kakashi that had assured him. it was also Kakashi that had hugged his trembling and exhausted body.

He had cried.

Silent, as he always was. Tears of exhaustion and fear had cascaded down his cheeks.

He had been imprisoned. He had accepted it. Yet when he heard that Naruto was finally stable and alive, he had broken out without thinking. He had wanted to be the first Naruto woke up to see, he had wanted to apologize, to talk, to be with Naruto.

An Uchiha always got what he wanted.

No words were spoken. Naruto had looked different then, but he didn't care. Gently, -for he had feared that Naruto would break- he had touch his whiskered cheek, as he did to him.

He had fallen unconscious then.

"Oi Teme what're you staring at?"

He was brought back to reality by the person he was thinking about.

The extraction had been both a success and failure. They did not manage to bring the Kyuubi out. However, they had almost succeeded. The Kyuubi was so close to the surface that there were changes on Naruto. Not only did Naruto look different, he seemed to be able to talk with the Kyuubi with his mind. He had become like Sabaku No Gaara, capable of talking with his Bijuu easily.

It was only due to Tsunade's and other major clan head's support that Naruto was not imprisoned or killed. Although it was confirmed that the Kyuubi would not be able to come out and take over the body, it was implied that it could influence Naruto and send him to insanity.

Naruto had AnBu following him and he was confined in Konoha for six months.

It was his entire fault.

"Arigatou." He muttered softly as he refused to meet the blond's eyes.

"Is Sasuke-chan embarrassed?" he teased back cheekily, bending down to pat his head.

"Go and train you Usuratonkachi!" scowled Sasuke as he slapped the hand away.

Laughing, Naruto grinned before he turned to leave.

"We'll definitely bring Itachi back, dattebayo!"

Sasuke rolled to the other side as Naruto left, a smile gracing his lips.

* * *

Once outside, Naruto greeted Neji with a wave before he scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry for the wait, Neji." He grinned at the long haired Jounin.

"So... training ground 7?" Neji sent him a small smile as he asked.

"Ah... Gomen, can we skip training today? I'll treat you to Ichiraku!" Naruto bargained, giving Neji his watery blue puppy dog eyes look.

Shaking his head, Neji matched his steps to the cheerful teen beside him.

"Until now, I still can't understand how you are willing to do the impossible." He sighed and rubbed his temples, wondering why had he involved himself in it.

"It's not impossible." Naruto frowned, "What Sasuke said actually made sense."

"You believe that he might still be alive?" Neji raised an eyebrow as they left the Uchiha district.

Shrugging, Naruto turned and flashed Neji a wide grin.

"I'm going along because the Sasuke now is like the old me." that said, he started skipping ahead towards Ichiraku Ramen.

"After all, a place where someone is thinking of you is a place called home!"

* * *

Author's Note: Shion is a character from Naruto Shippuuden the Movie. The movie creates a lot of possibilities in Naruto world. My idea for this fanfiction actually comes about after I watch that movie.

Please review, I can't judge my own fanfiction after all. _–bows-_

Oh, as always, the "preview" of chapters and replies to reviews are on my profile page.


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